President O’bama

by C. Michael Eliasz-Solomon

This Jester does not recall so much discussion on a president’s genealogy / vital records before. So as the President goes off to Europe, we once again hear about his ancestry ( Kenya,Hawaii, IRELAND). President O’bama through his mother has a 3g grandfather named Falmouth Kearney (and 3g grandmother Charlotte Holloway — let’s not forget the women) from Moneygall, (County Offaly), Ireland. The President’s direct ancestry back through the Dunham lineage can be proudly found at Moneygall’s website.

Apparently the good genealogical research is due to the village’s Anglican priest, Stephen Neill (a muse himself), who barely has any parishioners in the overwhelmingly Catholic area but is arguably its most popular figure.

It was he who, in 2007, pored through birth and baptism records of the Templeharry Church of Ireland, 3 miles (5 kilometers) outside Moneygall, and made the fateful discovery of Falmouth Kearney’s baptism. He had received calls from American genealogist Megan Smolenyak who was pursuing the many branches of President Obama’s family heritage. Megan, too, will be in Moneygall to meet the president. [see also“Finding O’Bama” ]

Stanczyk also awaits the President’s visit to Poland on Saturday. Let’s change the VISA requirements for Polish people to come to the USA to match the rest of the EU nations. After-all, Poland has been a part of the coalition in Afghanistan. Let’s reward this loyal ally with the same privileges as the UK or France or Germany! I would like to remind people that Poland was the nation who upon being restored to its rightful borders after World War I, took the time to honor America’s 150th Anniversary with their Emblem of Friendship in 1926 from the children of Poland to the citizens of America (see prior Stanczyk musing here).

Thank you pastor (please instruct me if I misapply your honorific) for your reading/commenting on my blog. I am an avid genealogist and I like to blog about how genealogy affects many aspects of our modern life. It is a thread that connects us all.

Let me not be remiss. I am grateful for the opportunity to Thank You (some what personally) for your research and kindness in finding a way to connect to our President, To me it was touching, to see how you and your entire town reached out to President Obama (and indirectly America) and made him feel welcome. I hope Moneygall and you esoecially were able to revel in the extraordinary experience. Bless you for your efforts!